No Way Back

Chapter 22

Anna’s nails bit into her palm as she glared furiously at Jane.

“Your father was right. Compared to Maddie, you’re nothing but a failure.

“I can’t believe I gave birth to a daughter who turned out to be as selfish and unreasonable as you are.

“I felt so guilty about what had happened to you, but all that guilt is gone now. It’s all thanks to you, Jane.

“I wish I had never given birth to you. I wish I had never tried searching for you. I wish that you had died 19 years ago. Why did you appear in my life again?”

Jane had driven Anna mad with anger.

Harsh words spilled from her lips without control.

This was the only way she could express her utter rage.

“Janie…”

Lila’s face paled as she listened to Anna’s gush of vitriol.

She couldn’t be bothered to argue with Anna at all. Instead, she turned her concerned gaze toward Jane.

She was worried about how badly Jane would take Anna’s words and that they would break her best friend’s heart into irreparable pieces.

Lila could feel her chest tighten and her heart shatter as she listened to Anna, even though Anna was nothing but a stranger to her.

How would Jane, Anna’s own daughter who yearned so badly for her family’s love, feel?

All humor fled Jane.

Her face stiffened into an expression devoid of any emotion.

Her heart, on the other hand…

hurt.

Why was she so weak?

She had had enough pain and disappointment in her past life.

She had decided not to get her heart broken over people who didn’t deserve her love in this life.

But…

Jane wasn’t as strong as she had thought she was.

A healed wound remained a wound.

You could hide it with a bandage, but the scar was still there.

It would hurt once in a while, the pain a reminder of the humiliating past that Jane had suffered.

This was the last time.

Jane would never show her weakness before a stranger again.

She would never be mocked again.

She would never break the hearts of her loved ones again.

“Well, I would rather be dead too. Unfortunately, I’m alive and doing well.

“I suppose this is God’s will. Without the Fowler family in my life, my life will only improve.

“I won’t d*e. In fact, my life will become better. I’m so sorry to disappoint you, Mrs. Fowler.”

Jane bit out as she tried to bury her sorrow deep inside her.

She would never forgive them.

Not in this life.

She would never forgive her supposed family for what they had done to her. The pain, the suffering, and the tears she had shed every night because of their heartlessness. The pain of being burned.

Jane would never forget any of that. It would stay with her until her dying breath.

Anna stared at the intense h*te burning in Jane’s eyes.

It pulled her out of her blind rage instantly.

Her face paled.

Oh my God.

What had she done? Why had she said all those things?

She had let her anger get the better of her.

She didn’t mean anything that she had said at all.

She had never said anything so vicious in her life.

She couldn’t believe that the first vicious vitriol she had spewed in her life was directed at her daughter.

The thought of that nearly drowned Anna in guilt. She was the proud, dignified wife of the chairman of the Fowler Corporation. She should be ashamed of herself!

“You’re right, Anna. You don’t need a daughter like her. She’s nothing next to Mad d*e.”

Diane sneered. She had wanted Anna to disavow Jane all along.

But she knew what Anna was like and had been prepared for a tough fight. She didn’t expect things to turn out her way so easily because of a chance meeting.

“No, Diane, I…”

Anna stammered as she tried to explain herself.

Anna hadn’t meant what she had said.

It had been…

the anger talking.

“What an impressive show that was. I didn’t expect to see the true colors of the top socialites of Stormton City’s two most upstanding families today.”

Luther applauded suddenly.

The look of contempt in his eyes were as stark as day as he stared at Annal

and Diane.

Luther cared for little and enjoyed being a member of the peanut gallery. However, it appeared that even he couldn’t stomach what had just happened.

Anna’s and Diane’s behavior must have been genuinely detestable.

“What did you just say? You’re just a manager. You have no right to criticize Anna and me.

“I want to speak to your boss. I wish to lodge a complaint. You should be

fired!”

Diane was livid. This must be her unlucky day. Everyone was pointing their fingers at Diane. They had no idea who they were messing with!

Jane wasn’t the only one who made a mistake by offending her. A p*thetic manager had had the guts to do the same too.

“Fascinating. Hugh, your aunt wants to speak to the boss and get me fired. I’m terrified.”

Luther’s lips quirked up into a smile as he turned his gaze toward a corner of the restaurant.

Hugh?

Diane froze.

She turned toward where Luther was staring with a look of incredulity in her eyes.

Hugh rose to his feet gradually.

He stuck one hand into his pocket and made his way toward the crowd.

The sight of Hugh sent Lila freezing up like a mouse that had spotted a cat.

She stopped breathing and hid herself behind Jane.

Hugh’s aura was too overwhelming for people like Lila.

The man was too dangerous.

Lila’s instincts told her to stay away from men like Hugh.

She shouldn’t even look at him.

A single look could send her tumbling into a bottomless abyss.

Jane watched calmly as Hugh made his way toward her.

Meanwhile, Hugh only had eyes for Jane.

After a long moment, he shifted his gaze away.

Hugh’s beautiful features glittered under the lights of the chandelier. He looked like a god that had just descended from the heavens.

The first top buttons of his top were left unbuttoned, revealing his fair skin and firm chest.

His thin lips were pressed softly together. His lovely eyes were as dark as

the vast space. Within them was a sharp, fierce look that few dared to

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He looked controlled and restrained, like a king who had come from another world.

His mere presence captivated your attention utterly.

Anyone in his presence would readily admit that they were worlds apart from the man before them.

“Hugh, what are you doing here?”

Diane started stammering at the sight of Hugh.

Raymond’s faction and Hugh’s faction had always been at odds with each other.

It didn’t help that Hugh was notorious for being harsh and ruthless. Diane knew the many who had perished under his ruthless methods. Nobody would dare to incur the wr*th of such a devil!

This was Hugh.

Anna’s heart began to race.

This wasn’t her first time meeting Hugh.

She had seen him at prestigious events and dinners from a distance.

She had never seen him up close.

Hugh exuded an aura of hostility.

That was not the aura a typical man in his twenties should have.

What a man.

Honestly, Anna was proud of her seven sons, but none of them could compare with Hugh.

He was the one in a million born to be a leader and rule others.

Anna’s heart skipped a beat then.

She seemed to sense anger emanating from Hugh.

When men like Hugh got angry, you could sense it clearly in your rising

hairs and the sharp follicles that stabbed into your skin. It was not an anger that the average person could withstand.

“I didn’t expect to see my aunt embarrass herself in the middle of my meal.

“You have three seconds to get lost. Never show your face here again.

“Otherwise, you’ll live to regret it.”